When Windows 10 was released I and many others did a lot of customizing of Start Menu, Taskbar branding and so on. Windows 11 changes that as we can no longer change or modify the Start Menu, or well we control the default Pinned apps using Intune/MDM but it is simply not worth it. I assume that the lack of customization and control of the Start menu is the reason why Windows 11 is shipping without Multi-App Kiosk support as well. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/configuration/lock-down-windows-10-to-specific-apps
On the TaskBar in Windows 11 we have a new “Chat” icon which I still see a need of removing as it launches the new Teams which can only be used with Microsoft Accounts.
When we launch it we get this getting started wizard.
The new Teams client also needs to be removed at least in some scenarios otherwise I am afraid that it will cause confusion for our end users as it is really hard to see the difference of which Teams is which.
I have simply uninstalled the new Teams using the same script I use for the rest of the builtin apps – https://ccmexec.com/2018/04/windows-10-remove-builtin-apps-script-with-multiple-version-support/ Simply updated it for Windows 11 to include “MicrosoftTeams” as that is the app name.
Well back to removing the Chat icon.
Removing the Chat Icon using Intune
There is a new CSP setting we can use, “Experience/ConfigureChatIcon” which does exactly what we want. Note it requires Enterprise or Education edition.
Policy CSP – Experience – Windows Client Management | Microsoft Docs
We create a new Configuration Profile for Windows 10 and later, type Custom and use the settings below.
OMA-URI = “./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Experience/ConfigureChatIcon”
Following values are supported:
0 – Not Configured: The Chat icon will be configured according to the defaults for your Windows edition.
1 – Show: The Chat icon will be displayed on the taskbar by default. Users can show or hide it in Settings.
2 – Hide: The Chat icon will be hidden by default. Users can show or hide it in Settings.
3 – Disabled: The Chat icon will not be displayed, and users cannot show or hide it in Settings.
Remove the Chat Icon using Intune – Settings Catalog
Removing the Chat Icon is also possible using Intune Settings Catalog. Create a new Configuration Policy, Search for Experience, and select “Configure Chat Icon” We have the same options as we have when using the CSP option above.
Removing the Chat Icon using Group Policy
There is a new Group Policy settings to disable the Chat Icon as well. Either download the released .ADMX download here: Download ADMX Templates for Windows 11 October 2021 Update [21H2] from Official Microsoft Download Center or copy the files from C:\Windows\Policydefinitions on a Windows 11 computer to your Central policy store. The Chaticon is part of the TaskBar.ADMX and .ADML so you can only update those if you like.
The GPO settings can be found under Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Component\Chat
Remove the Chat Icon using registry
Remove Chat from the Taskbar
[KEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
“TaskbarMn”=dword:00000000
I personally wish that the icons on the bottom of the Start Menu was enabled by default as they make much sense.
I may spend some time on enabling it, we will see, so much more Windows 11 to test out.
admx templates for Windows 11 are now available to download: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=103507
I posteded something similar yesterday but instead of using GPO, I’m using the actual registry key that controls the setting:
https://www.joseespitia.com/2021/10/06/how-to-automatically-hide-the-widgets-and-teams-chat-button-in-windows-11/
Great post! That was in my next scheduled post.
Regards,
Jörgen
Shouldn’t we really be removing the functionality rather than just removing the icon? We use Teams and on my Windows 11 Insider version, there is a way to remote the Teams/Chat without affecting the corporate install of Teams.
It depends on your security departments requirements we have a lot of customers that removes Quick Assist as well.
Regards,
Jörgen
Hi.
To achive the icons which are called Pinned Folder you can use the “Settings catalog (preview)” in Endpoint Manager
1. Create a new Device Configuration Profile.
2. Choose Windows 10 and later
3. Choose Settings catalog (preview), Click Create
5. Enter a Name, Click Next
7. click Add settings
8. Find “Start” under Browse by category
9. there you can choose “Allowed Pinned Folder” for the folders you want
10. Change the dropdown for the settings you choose to “The shortcut is visible and disables the setting in the Settings app.”, Click next
12. Choose assignment, Click next
13. Choose Scope tags if any, Click Next
14. Review the settings, if ok click Next
Note that this also has effect on Windows 10 folders to the left on the start menu.
Yes, will update the post. I wrote it a while back when it didn’t exist in Settings Catalog.
Regards,
Jörgen
GPO’s not working for removing the Chat icon from Enterprise test workstatin. Latest available ADMX/L files (dated 2021-09-27, downloaded on 2021-10-08 and show on the MS site as released on 2021-10-06) in the central store, but gpresult on the client shows it’s using local store, not central. What am I missing, here?
Thanks for the post. Just to avoid anyone getting into the same confusion I did, these methods are only supported for Win11 Enterprise (not Pro like I am using):
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/client-management/mdm/policy-csp-experience#experience-configurechaticonvisibilityonthetaskbar
With Pro Intune just tells you that the policy is not applicable to the device.
Hi, Good point! updated the post!
Regards,
Jörgen
Hi!
MicrosoftTeams isn’t included in your files on Github and it’s not included in the AppxProvisionedPackage.txt if I import Windows 11 into OSBuilder. So how do you remove this customer Teams? Thanks in advance!
Hi, Good point will update it now. The app name is
MicrosoftTeams
I have updated the RemoveApps script as well on Github https://github.com/Ccmexec/MEMCM-OSD-Scripts/tree/master/Windows11
Regards,
Jörgen
Hi Jorgen,
I added MicrosoftTeams to the removeapps script, but when running the log indicates that MicrsoftTeams was not found, all other apps have been removed correctly.
Thanks
Same for me. John did you already find a solution for that?
Hi Jorgen,
Your remove apps script works great but can it be modified to remove these apps for all users? One of techs often logs into the computer before the user receives it so the apps are not removed for that user.
Thanks!